LENIN COLLECTION

The basic resolutions of the conference are printed in *Iskra* No. 188; furthermore they were published separately as a pamphlet: "Decisions of the South Russian Constituent Conference of the R.S.-D.R.P." August 1905, Geneva.

## CONFUSION INSTEAD OF LEADERSHIP

The latest word of Iskra tactics or "mock elections as new incentives for uprising."

On the resolution concerning the State Duma (of the South Russian Constituent Conference).

**Sources of confusion:** Organization of revolutionary self-governance = organization of armed uprising. *Compare with* Social-Democrat No. 12.

Organization of revolutionary self-governance: democratic revolution = consumer societies: socialist revolution.*

**1.** Convocation of the Constituent Assembly — by whom? A gap.

"Harder position"? Since when? Harder than 1861–1901, etc.?

Convocation — how? A gap. *Compare* § 2 of the same resolution. I. Conference with *Proletarii*. The question of the convocation of the Constituent Assembly (liberation) and the method of convocation.

**2.** Critique of the State Duma (points 1–2 and the beginning of 3).

**3.** "Declares conscious (?) traitor to the people anyone ready to be satisfied (not 'satisfied,' but 'ready to be satisfied'!) with the State Duma and does not set before himself as a task in this decisive moment through his actions (sic!) and his tactics to support the demands of the revolutionary people for the convocation of the Constituent Assembly."

| *Support through actions... Why not through uprising? Why such half-measures? To whom are they advantageous?* |
|---|

*Unbehilflick* (a) "conscious traitor" is too much — peasants, etc. (*compare* Johann Jacoby).

(b) To declare who is "ready." Where is the measure of "readiness"?

| *Plenum Tuesday: 20:6 X — 10 X; 21:13 X — 17 X; 22:20 X — 21 X; 23:27 X — 1 XI* | Words or deeds of a man reveal his "readiness." If it is "words," that means agreement with the liberals on conditions. If it is deeds, that means exposure of their treason and a call to uprising. = confusion. |
|---|---|

Menacing in words: "declare conscious traitor." But in fact? Whom to declare? Constitutional Democrats? No. Puff. An empty phrase about persons instead of a political directive about parties.

**4.** Creation of a "broad democratic organization" (??) = "all-Russian people's organization" (?) *Quid est?* To drown the R.S.-D.R.P. in a broad democratic organization? *Unmöglich*. That means a temporary union. With whom? With Constitutional Democrats? With Revolutionary Democrats? Allah knows.

For what purpose unite? "For the purpose of" (1) energetic struggle "against the State Duma." *Sic!* Struggle. "Struggle against the State Duma" (not yet born) — *active boycott!!!* (2) for the realization of an all-people's Constituent Assembly, etc. — *liberationists!!!*

Arch-confusion: Only workers and peasants?? No, all-Russian (!) people (!!)

Workers' agitation committees + "correspondingly (?) workers' agitation committees among the peasantry."

"Formation of gubernial peasant committees" (!).

**5.** "With sufficient strength of this organization..." proceed to the organization of all-people's elections (!) to the Constituent Assembly, bearing in mind that "organized" (!) people's movement directed toward these elections may become a *natural transition* to all-people's uprising.

(a = transition without armament and military preparation?)

Organization of revolutionary forces is not = organization of armed uprising.

"Natural transition" — that means appointing a pretext!

"New incentives" "for uprising" are mock elections. "Preliminary organization will ensure it (the uprising) universality and unity."

Organization for uprising, comprising those prepared for uprising, could ensure it; but not organization for mock elections.

"Incentives" = strikes + student unrest + State Duma mobilization + manifestation + p + 1.

Alongside this... they energetically intervene in the electoral campaign... discuss the tasks that stand before representatives in the State Duma.

But what are these tasks? Only their discussion? But don't you know them? What evasion! Do you reject the "revolutionary obligations" or not?

Get to "the revolutionary path" of the bourgeoisie, "strata having rights," "democratic organization of the people"!

= (1) either a call to uprising (guided by a democratic organization of the people), and a temporary government!

= (2) or in the "absence of it," transformation of the State Duma into a revolutionary assembly for the convocation of an All-people's Constituent Assembly.

= (3) or for assisting its convocation by a "democratic organization of the people."

* To the left of this paragraph in the manuscript is placed a calendar table of the upcoming issues of *Proletarii*. —*Ed.*